Vile Blogs

As there seems to be some controversy about us plebs daring to have our say online, I'd just like to point out that there's nothing much to fear from me! In fact, I'm a getting a bit bored of blogs and forums (apart from one or two).

I toyed with the idea of scrapping this one, but I'll probably keep it for the occasional viewpoint here and there when I feel the need to get something off my chest.

As for local politics, I can't say I'm entirely impressed, but do concede that it could all be a lot worse. If issues are raised, the public are consulted, debate takes place, and votes are cast by elected representatives, then that's about the most reasonable system I can imagine. The problem is that the public are not often consulted, or the representatives don't pay any attention - but that's the electorate's problem if they don't bother complaining in numbers or turning out to vote.

In my leftie family I'm sometimes jokingly called a Tory because once upon a time in one of my more cynical moments I made a comment that right wing politics were more likely to work and find favour with the public because they are in tune with the dominant selfish side of human nature, but these days I am indeed veering away from my balanced middle of the road position and I'm starting to follow the family background by leaning more to the left, naively possibly, hopelessly idealistically maybe, because I'm so fed up with injustice and greed.

I could be tempted to support any moves to upset the old boys network, just because it seems the right thing to do. But I'm too wary of hassle, too lazy and unlikely to do anything about anything, except make comments here online to the extremely small audience who may chance across them. I'm just as guilty as almost everyone else of not wanting to rock the boat and draw unwanted attention to myself.

So don't worry about me being one of those "despicable enemies of free speech" (as the JEP calls them - stretching things quite a bit!). No satire here. No ribbing. No insults.

The worst I can do is shine a light on something, moan about it not being as good as it could be... and use my vote. That's not so vile, is it?